So I missed out on my September preview because by the time I wrote the thing it was already nearly two weeks into the month and I'd seen some of the films I'd talked about (One Day) and they just weren't as good as I hoped they would be. Though never fear because here is my preview of the redeming month of October. The one that basically apologises for putting us through the horror that was September. Also because of the loose nature of Australian release dates, these could change very easily (like Green Lantern did).
October 6
Footloose. A remake of the 1984 classic that made Kevin Bacon a star, this actually looks like it could be a good film. I'm saying could very loosely because there are elements that show it could be a cliched and boring film with horrible acting but there are also some moments that look like it could be a really fun and enjoyable film. I'm not sure about this but I'm looking forward to it. It could be a fun time at the movies and a good bit of escapism.
Real Steel or as it should be called, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots. This looks like it could be fun or really cliched. The plot has been seen before and done to death but you never know. The key to this film will be the fighting scenes. If they are done well and there are plenty of them then the film will work. If the fighting is rarely seen and it instead focuses on the relationship of the boy and father then its not going to do as well because the trailer shows that this kid can't act. Who knows, I'm hoping it's good considering the trailers have been teasing us since last year.
October 13
The Thing. A prequel to a clut-classic remake. This doesn't look good at all, the acting is wooden and the plot device about who can you trust and who can't you has been done to death. If this film has any chance at being good it needs to brign some type of twist to it. It can't be the obvious person like love interest or something. The film will play up that it's one person and then the twist will reveal it to be another. The key to make this film work is make that other person someone completely unexpected. Personally I would love it if it turns out she's actually the thing and she's just been playing everyone but I highly doubt they will take that route. My guess is that it will be the Joel Edgerton character but hey I could be wrong.
The Three Musketeers. Oh lord help me. This looks laughable its so bad. I mean what do these actors thing they are doing? This is a post-modern steampunk version of the novel and it is an insult for them to promote this as an adaptation of said novel. Paul W.S Anderson has yet to direct a truely great action film, his best being Death Race (no I don't like Resident Evil) which was barely passable. This simply looks like a film appealing to thirteen year olds except thirteen year olds aren't going to want to see this because of the period piece setting. Maybe it'll surprise me but I don't think it will.
What's Your Number. You know what, I actually think this could be funny, it won't be original or classic by any standards but I think we're looking at another Friends with Benefits, a fun, light hearted romantic comedy. Yes it looks predictable as all hell and you can tell from the trailer who she will end up with but I really like Anna Farris and Chris Evans and I think they could pull this off. Hopefully this is enjoyable and funny.
October 20
Contagion. Finally, the first time on this list that is already out in the States. I'm looking forward to his but reviews have said that while its premise is terrifying and the film is scary, over-crowding characters and plot threads hurt the film.
Paranormal Activity 3. Ok so I've never seen a Paranormal Activity movie, but before this film comes out I'm having a marathon and getting scared, hopefully. I can't really talk about what's going on mostly because I don't get it, but I know the film is a pequel to the first two, apparently they keep going backwards so chronology so maybe it'll be good.
October 27
The big week, the one I'm looking forward to the most and here is why.
Drive. This looks as thought it's going to be the serious version of The Transporter. A film about a getaway driver and the implications that can have on him when something goes wrong. My only hope is that this doesn't follow the cliched love interest storyline. It can be a part of the film but I hope they don't make it the focus, well only if it's told in an interesting and original way. Some reviews have compared this to Pulp Fiction and if that's the case then this could be a very great film.
Shark Night 3D. Yes I know I said before that I was looking forward to this weekend but there is always the exception that proves the rule and this is that one. This looks bad, really bad. I know why it was made because Piranha 3D made a fortune so this is just jumping on that band wagon but the reason Piranha made so much money was because it was; R rated, stupid, gory and filled with sex. Shark Night is M and doesn't have any of the features that apparently (I haven't seen Piranha 3D) fun. This film will bomb because it won't have the same enjoyment factor that it wants to have.
In Time. I'm on the fence with this one. On one hand I love the idea and the premise and I really think that this could be a great original sci-fi film. My fear is that it will take the cliche route and become just another typical action film. The trailer makes it seem like it is and I'm really worried that it's going to follow the same storyline as The Island. Go watch The Island and then watch this trailer and you will see the similarities in the story structure. Hopefully I'm wrong and this film is completely original and becomes a huge hit. Here's hoping.
Warrior. Oh my god I cannot wait for this film. The trailer first came out towards the end of last year and ever since I have been excited. Yes it looks like it could be cliched but I don't care it looks like it could be an awesome film. I love how the trailers have made it look as though you could pick either side, you could go for either brother. The only problem I can think this film will have is going to be the ending. If they do follow this idea where you can pick either side then the ending of who wins the fight could be done badly. Hopefully it's done well and I'm still extremely excited for this film.
So that's October, hopefully we have a much better month than September (despite it having two films that should be on my top ten of the year list). This looks like it could be filled with some great movies and hopefully they don't disappoint. I'm the Mad Movie Man and I'll see you at the cinema.
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Monday 5 September 2011
A Little Bit about Me...The Worst and Best of Me
So at the insitance of some of my readers, I have been asked to share my own personal movie experiences, like what movies inspire me, what movies changed or challenged me and what movies just really pissed me off. Word of warning, this is a LONG post, I just love movies that much.
Ok so I don't really have like a Top 10 Worst Films of all time list because I don't really remember the bad films I see. If I did make a list right now it would mostly be of films made in the last two years and that's not really an accurate representation of the films I don't like, so I never really bothered trying to think of one or do one. That being said I do have a few films that I absolutely hate.
Lets begins at the bottom of the barrel with last year's Worst Picture "winnner" The Last Airbender. I remember going to see this film with a bunch of friends who absolutely adored the TV series. Personally, I'd never actually seen the series and this film didn't do it any favours. I can distintly remeber that this film had the magical ability to make all four of us, at the same time scream "oh fuck" within the first 30 seconds of the film. I can't find the scene on the internet (ok I looked for thirty seconds, sue me) but it's simply a text scroll. Yes, a black and white (I think it was black and white) text scroll with a voice over. It was here that we all knew this film was going to be horrible when the lead female character (don't know her name, can't be fucked looking it up) said the word "Arvatar". No that's not a type, she literally added an R into the word. At this point one of my friends turned to me, pointed at me and loudy said "fuck you Jacob, fuck you" (They wanted to see Easy A, but I just got out of that film and didn't particularly feel like seeing it again). Nothing in this film works, even if you are a fan of the show. The action is horribly shot and there isn't enough of it to be an action film, the acting is some of the worst I've ever seen and the script, oh my god, the script. That's the worst part! It's so badly written that it makes Avatar (the blue people one) look like a freaking masterpiece of originality. Everything about this film is so poorly put together and it would be safe to assume that directer M. Night Shamylan just used the brand name of the show to make a $200 million film. What's worse is that it worked. Please god I hope there isn't a sequel.
Next on my most hated films list is the worst film I have seen this year (So far...but if anything can beat it then I'm scared). Yes those of you who know me I am of course talking about Your Highness.
I feel as though I put this film on prematurely, mostly because well I haven't seen all of it. I actually walked out of the session because 1. I was bored and had better things to do with my time ans 2. because I was the only one in the theatre and it felt weird. I generally try and see film opening day, if not at least opening weekend and sure enough I did that for this film too and I saw a prime time session too. That doesn't really inspire much confidence in a film when during opening weekend the film ended up playing for literally no-one but I degress. My hatred for this film doesn't come because I was offended or anything (Films don't offend me ever), it because of how pathetically stupid the film is. In my original review I claimed it to be the worst film I have ever seen. Since then I have retracted that statement because I've realised that this film really isn't anything in the grand scheme of things. I went into it expecting it to be bad because the trailers never made it look good and I really, really hate Danny McBride as a comdian. He can do drama pretty good (see Up in the Air for proof) but his humour is so strange that it never works. The jokes me makes would appeal to twelve year olds and children, expect they are so ranchy and inapproprate that twelve year olds would either not get the joke or wouldn't be allowed to see it because the films he's in are R (Australia's version of MA 15+).
I hate this freaking movie, it just annoys me but its not the worst film I've ever seen. For that to happen, I've got to at least expect something good, and by god did I have it coming...
Its June 23rd, I can still remember the day I saw it. A thursday at 2:30PM. I may even still have the ticket. My hopes were beyond high, I was completely in love with the first film and the trailers made this one look absolutely amazing. My friend and I had just received some horrible news and figured that seeing this would restore our hopes...how wrong we were. I am of course talking about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I hate this movie, I can still remember in my original review I wrote so long ago, that I wrote in the hate about fifteen times. I've since lost that review but I can still remember the feeling of anger I had while writing it, I've never had that same anger towards a movie since. This movie still annoys me to this day and everytime someone brings it up I will nearly always argue about it. I hate it that much. The fun that was the first film was now gone into the strangeness that is Revenge of the Fallen. I've never been able to explain in detail why I hate this movie so much because there is simply far too much too hate. This film has nothing going for it, it's boring, the script is horrific but worst of all is the fucking run time! 2 hours and 30 minutes!!!! Forget the god awful humor, that's my biggest problem with the film. It's just boring. These two videos from The Distressed Watcher sum up my feelings towards Revenge of the Fallen so perfectly. I can't link them into the actual video because its not apart of YouTube (oh Google how I hate you some days) but I'll just give you the two links.
Transformers Review Pt. 1
Transformers Review Pt. 2
I'd show you the trailer, but that just makes the blow and awfulness that is this film worse, because the trailer looks fucking awesome. I just hoped the third one would be better and thank god it was (but it's not hard to beat the fucking piece of the shit film that was Revenge of the Fallen). You know the movie is shit when even the directer comes out and admits that it was shit. So that's my most hated film of all time, is it the worst I've ever seen? Probably not, but it is the one that I hate the most and that makes it the worst film I've ever seen.
So that's the films that I hate but I you know, I don't actually enjoy talking about horrible films, so to counter the three films that I just talked about lets talk about the ten films that I completely and utterly love with all my heart.
Ok, I actually have a top twenty list, but that's just going to make this post far too long, so instead I'll just give you the outside ten as a quick list.
20. The Usual Suspects (best ending to a film EVER)
19. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original one not the shitty Tim Burton one)
18. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
17. Sweeney Todd
16. The Truman Show
15. The Princess Bride
14. Star Wars
13. Up In The Air
12. How To Train Your Dragon
11. Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Number ten is my favourite of the Pixar films and I know its cliched and overused but I've got to go with Toy Story. I remember watching this as a child and how much I loved it. While I don't have the same admiration for it as I did when I was say eight or nine, I still love it for its nostalgia factor. If I was to have a current personal favourite of the Pixar films it would probably Up but I feel like I should only have one Pixar film on this list and Toy Story is the first film that I can remember absolutely loving.
This next film may actually shock a few people, not because its not the list but because of how "low" it is. Number nine is Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. This film shows how great a Batman film can be made. The tragicness of the character is really played up and the emotional impact of what it means to be Batman is the centre point of this film. The questions of moralistic control is front and centre of the film and it really plays out like a greek tragedy. Not to mention an unbelievable amazing performance from Heath Ledger and The Joker makes this one of my favourite films.
Number eight on my all time favourites list is easily the best of the Disney films, Beauty and the Beast. Words cannot describe my affection for this film. I love absolutely everything about it; the music, the characters, the story, everything. My favourite song would either be "Be Our Guest" or "Beauty and the Beast". Normally I only ever recommend watching the theatrical version of any film but with this one if you have the extended edition it's actually pretty good, the only thing adding being a really good song. What more can I say I love this movie; its fun, entertaining but most of all it's something special.
Number seven is easily my favourite Jim Carrey movie and no it's not one of his comedies. It's a little film that was made in 2003 with Kate Winslet that begs the question; If you could erase your ex from your mind, would you? Yes I am talking about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Ok the film is much deeper than that questioning relationships and science and going much deeper into the emotion of relationships and how we as people deal with heartbreak. In a sense the film takes place backwards but within a forward momentum. Jim Carrey plays Joel Barish who has found out that his girlfriend Clem (Kate Winslet) has gotten her memory erased of him and their entire relationship. In a fit of distress he get the same thing and begins to live his relationship backwards, starting with the moment and reason for his break-up and ending with meeting her...all before losing complete memory her. I think this works really well because it reflects what most people are like when it comes to heartbreak. They rush out and get rid of everything that reminds them of the person and hate them completely because they can only remember the ending of the relationship, they don't see the full relationship. There are some problems with the film like the side story involving the people doing the memory wipe but not enough to ruin the film. I love this movie it deserves a spot as one of my favourite films of all time.
Now we're getting into the good stuff, the films that have really had an impact on me and changed my outlook on the idea of film. The strange thing in saying that is that number six is actually a really recent film. The best film of last year it's David Fincher's The Social Network. People often say that talking is boring and it can ruin a film. That's true for an action film (unless your name is Quentin Tarantino) but for something like The Social Network the dialogue that makes the film. Based on the wonderful novel The Accidental Billionaires, The Social Network essentially tells the story of the creation of Facebook but that doesn't mean you have to be on or like Facebook to enjoy the film. On paper it sounds boring and in the hands of someone else it very well could have been but Aaron Sorkin finds a way to make the film a tragedy. The tragedy of the film is that for a website about connecting people together it cost a friendship and the film shows that extremely well. The highlight of the film for me is Andrew Garfield, who I believe is the heart of the film. He plays his character with such distinction and compassion that it's impossible not to feel for him later on in the film. That being said, Jessie Eisenberg is wonder at portraying the film version of Mark Zuckerberg. I say film version because this is not the real Mark obviously, it's a dramatisation of the character to help tell a better story. Everything about this film is very well done to the point of near perfection. I remember coming home from seeing it and not being able to write a review for it because I was so taken back by it. I loved it all. Even now after more viewings than I personally care to admit it still feels fresh and original, something that I can't say for most films.
Moving along and into the top five with American Beauty. I've never really understood why I love this movie so much, because I can't re-watch it over and over again. It's not one that can be played continuously and have that same impact every time. This is a subtle movie, on that requires complete attention to what his happening on the screen and what is going through the minds of these characters. The character of Lester Burnham is brought to life wonderfully by Kevin Spacey and he really is the heart of the film. In the wrong hands Lester could be see as extremely unlikeable (I mean his goal in the film is to have sex with his daughter's bestfriend) but because Spacey plays with with such empathy the audience see everyside of him and understand all aspects of his life. The films central theme of beauty and it is within everything is one that hits home while watching it and stays with you long after the end credits. The emotional scene when Ricky opens up to Jane about the most beautiful thing he's ever films is incredibly moving and extremely well acted. There is so much more I can say about this film and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good storytelling with wonderful acting.
When asked what I think is the greatest film ever made my answer is often The Shawshank Redemption. Now to anyone whose seen the movie, its easy to understand why but to those who haven't it's a film that really requires you to sit down and actually watch. This isn't my favourite film of all time but it is the greatest one I have ever seen. While watching it you are completely engrossed in the film and whenever I see it on TV or something I'm hooked and can't take my eyes off the screen. I love this movie beyond all belief because everyone in the film brings their A game and tells the story nearly perfectly. Scratch that, it is perfect. For me this is the perfect film because its accessable to everyone, there isnt a soul in the world who would not enjoy this movie (ok maybe one or two who only want sex and action). The greatest film I've ever seen and it would have been the reason I'm so passionate about movies...if I hadn't seen another film before it which is to come....
Ok now we're getting into the top three and these three films don't really represent great films in the original sense but are more personal films that I hold dear to my heart. At one point in my life all three of these have been number one, and they all have the ablility to swap around but I've had this order for awhile and for me it works. So what happens when a pumpkin grows tired of Halloween and instead tries to takeover Christmas? We get an insight into one of the greatest things to ever come out of the mind of Tim Burton with The Nightmare Before Christmas. Surprisingly I actually discovered this film late in my life, I never heard or watched it as a kid and by the time I did hear about it I was in that stage where you simply don't care about kids movies anymore. I remember my friend egging me on to watch it and when she told me that it was an animated-musical my feelings didn't change at all. It even sat on my desk for nearly three months before I actually watched it by god was I an idiot. How could I possibly have doubted this film? From the opening monolouge to the closing frame of Jack and Sally I was completely hooked to the film. I loved this film so much I wouldn't give it back to my friend until I had my own copy, which I did about a week later. Today the film still holds up and the success of the film is the musical aspect. The first three songs are that good you become completely hooked while watching that you don't want to turn it off. I cannot give enough credit to this film, it's the reason I become so in love with animated films again and I will always love this film from the bottom of my heart.
Second is probably the film that is going to annoy a lot of people who are reading this because it's not very liked among people. Despite having a 88% approval rating on RottenTomatoes and being nominated for two Golden Globes, people generally have a great displeasure for this film. There is even a ten page recap that I read about it once that is dedicating to bashing it. I am of course talking about Mark Webb's directional debut (500) Days of Summer. I remember seeing this film at the theatres with one of my friends and just completely loving it because of how much I could relate to the film. I had been Tom and I had had I reckon 70% of the conversations that are in the film with my friends. Tom is perhaps the most relatable character in recent film history because generally everyone has been in one of those relationships. The one where you are completely in love with the other person who only sees you as a friend. When watching the film you completely understand where Tom is coming from, his motivations and his reasonings because you've had those reasonings before. I love a scene late in the film where Tom is on a blind date and he's talking about Summer and the girl asks "well did she break your heart or did you?" and you relate because you ask yourself the same questions. I will admit that there are faults with the film but they come simply out of people who can't relate to Tom. If you can't relate to Tom, you will not enjoy this film because its his story. I think this is an amazing and wonderful film that while not for everyone is certainly a film for people who've ever had their heart broken.
And here we are, my number one film. It's been quite a journey and I'll admit that this film will never change as my number one film because its the film that changed me. It's the one that showed me that film can be taken seriously and can tell thought provoking stories with actual acting. At the time I saw this film, my favourite film of all time was the last one I saw at the theatres. Yes I was one of those people at some stage in my life and the film that changed it, the one that got me into watching film and falling in love with was of course Good Will Hunting. When I watched this for the first time it was about 11PM at night on a Friday night and being my usual bored fourteen year old self I was flicking through the channels trying to find something. Then I saw it, a Robin Williams and Matt Damon movie. Now at fourteen I knew Robin Williams was hilarious and Matt Damon was in great action films. I honestly thought this would be some action-comedy. I'll admit the first time I watched it I didn't really care for it. I went to bed at 1AM thinking about how boring that movie was but slowly it came to the forefront of my mind. I would be in Bockbuster and walk past it and smile every time. The shitty action films that I used to love so much were now not as good. The comedies that I loved weren't funny at all anymore because I could see through them. It was weird. I watched Good Will and ever since I've just loved it. To this day I've never been able to explain what it is about this film that is so good, what about it makes me happy and why it changed my worldview on film. I mean it's not like Citizen Kane or The Godfather, films that changed movies and honestly it's not that great of a film but for some reason whenever I watch it I just walk away happy. I want to do better and try better. I'll never explain the absolute and deadset reason as to why I love this film so much and that could be one of the reasons why I love it so much; I can't explain why.
So that's my movie life in a nut shell. What movies I love and what movies I hate. I warned you this would be a long post but now you know a little more about the reasonings behind why I am the movie nut I am. I'm the Mad Movie Man and I'll see you at the theatre
Ok so I don't really have like a Top 10 Worst Films of all time list because I don't really remember the bad films I see. If I did make a list right now it would mostly be of films made in the last two years and that's not really an accurate representation of the films I don't like, so I never really bothered trying to think of one or do one. That being said I do have a few films that I absolutely hate.
Lets begins at the bottom of the barrel with last year's Worst Picture "winnner" The Last Airbender. I remember going to see this film with a bunch of friends who absolutely adored the TV series. Personally, I'd never actually seen the series and this film didn't do it any favours. I can distintly remeber that this film had the magical ability to make all four of us, at the same time scream "oh fuck" within the first 30 seconds of the film. I can't find the scene on the internet (ok I looked for thirty seconds, sue me) but it's simply a text scroll. Yes, a black and white (I think it was black and white) text scroll with a voice over. It was here that we all knew this film was going to be horrible when the lead female character (don't know her name, can't be fucked looking it up) said the word "Arvatar". No that's not a type, she literally added an R into the word. At this point one of my friends turned to me, pointed at me and loudy said "fuck you Jacob, fuck you" (They wanted to see Easy A, but I just got out of that film and didn't particularly feel like seeing it again). Nothing in this film works, even if you are a fan of the show. The action is horribly shot and there isn't enough of it to be an action film, the acting is some of the worst I've ever seen and the script, oh my god, the script. That's the worst part! It's so badly written that it makes Avatar (the blue people one) look like a freaking masterpiece of originality. Everything about this film is so poorly put together and it would be safe to assume that directer M. Night Shamylan just used the brand name of the show to make a $200 million film. What's worse is that it worked. Please god I hope there isn't a sequel.
Next on my most hated films list is the worst film I have seen this year (So far...but if anything can beat it then I'm scared). Yes those of you who know me I am of course talking about Your Highness.
I feel as though I put this film on prematurely, mostly because well I haven't seen all of it. I actually walked out of the session because 1. I was bored and had better things to do with my time ans 2. because I was the only one in the theatre and it felt weird. I generally try and see film opening day, if not at least opening weekend and sure enough I did that for this film too and I saw a prime time session too. That doesn't really inspire much confidence in a film when during opening weekend the film ended up playing for literally no-one but I degress. My hatred for this film doesn't come because I was offended or anything (Films don't offend me ever), it because of how pathetically stupid the film is. In my original review I claimed it to be the worst film I have ever seen. Since then I have retracted that statement because I've realised that this film really isn't anything in the grand scheme of things. I went into it expecting it to be bad because the trailers never made it look good and I really, really hate Danny McBride as a comdian. He can do drama pretty good (see Up in the Air for proof) but his humour is so strange that it never works. The jokes me makes would appeal to twelve year olds and children, expect they are so ranchy and inapproprate that twelve year olds would either not get the joke or wouldn't be allowed to see it because the films he's in are R (Australia's version of MA 15+).
I hate this freaking movie, it just annoys me but its not the worst film I've ever seen. For that to happen, I've got to at least expect something good, and by god did I have it coming...
Its June 23rd, I can still remember the day I saw it. A thursday at 2:30PM. I may even still have the ticket. My hopes were beyond high, I was completely in love with the first film and the trailers made this one look absolutely amazing. My friend and I had just received some horrible news and figured that seeing this would restore our hopes...how wrong we were. I am of course talking about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I hate this movie, I can still remember in my original review I wrote so long ago, that I wrote in the hate about fifteen times. I've since lost that review but I can still remember the feeling of anger I had while writing it, I've never had that same anger towards a movie since. This movie still annoys me to this day and everytime someone brings it up I will nearly always argue about it. I hate it that much. The fun that was the first film was now gone into the strangeness that is Revenge of the Fallen. I've never been able to explain in detail why I hate this movie so much because there is simply far too much too hate. This film has nothing going for it, it's boring, the script is horrific but worst of all is the fucking run time! 2 hours and 30 minutes!!!! Forget the god awful humor, that's my biggest problem with the film. It's just boring. These two videos from The Distressed Watcher sum up my feelings towards Revenge of the Fallen so perfectly. I can't link them into the actual video because its not apart of YouTube (oh Google how I hate you some days) but I'll just give you the two links.
Transformers Review Pt. 1
Transformers Review Pt. 2
I'd show you the trailer, but that just makes the blow and awfulness that is this film worse, because the trailer looks fucking awesome. I just hoped the third one would be better and thank god it was (but it's not hard to beat the fucking piece of the shit film that was Revenge of the Fallen). You know the movie is shit when even the directer comes out and admits that it was shit. So that's my most hated film of all time, is it the worst I've ever seen? Probably not, but it is the one that I hate the most and that makes it the worst film I've ever seen.
So that's the films that I hate but I you know, I don't actually enjoy talking about horrible films, so to counter the three films that I just talked about lets talk about the ten films that I completely and utterly love with all my heart.
Ok, I actually have a top twenty list, but that's just going to make this post far too long, so instead I'll just give you the outside ten as a quick list.
20. The Usual Suspects (best ending to a film EVER)
19. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original one not the shitty Tim Burton one)
18. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
17. Sweeney Todd
16. The Truman Show
15. The Princess Bride
14. Star Wars
13. Up In The Air
12. How To Train Your Dragon
11. Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Number ten is my favourite of the Pixar films and I know its cliched and overused but I've got to go with Toy Story. I remember watching this as a child and how much I loved it. While I don't have the same admiration for it as I did when I was say eight or nine, I still love it for its nostalgia factor. If I was to have a current personal favourite of the Pixar films it would probably Up but I feel like I should only have one Pixar film on this list and Toy Story is the first film that I can remember absolutely loving.
This next film may actually shock a few people, not because its not the list but because of how "low" it is. Number nine is Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. This film shows how great a Batman film can be made. The tragicness of the character is really played up and the emotional impact of what it means to be Batman is the centre point of this film. The questions of moralistic control is front and centre of the film and it really plays out like a greek tragedy. Not to mention an unbelievable amazing performance from Heath Ledger and The Joker makes this one of my favourite films.
Number eight on my all time favourites list is easily the best of the Disney films, Beauty and the Beast. Words cannot describe my affection for this film. I love absolutely everything about it; the music, the characters, the story, everything. My favourite song would either be "Be Our Guest" or "Beauty and the Beast". Normally I only ever recommend watching the theatrical version of any film but with this one if you have the extended edition it's actually pretty good, the only thing adding being a really good song. What more can I say I love this movie; its fun, entertaining but most of all it's something special.
Number seven is easily my favourite Jim Carrey movie and no it's not one of his comedies. It's a little film that was made in 2003 with Kate Winslet that begs the question; If you could erase your ex from your mind, would you? Yes I am talking about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Ok the film is much deeper than that questioning relationships and science and going much deeper into the emotion of relationships and how we as people deal with heartbreak. In a sense the film takes place backwards but within a forward momentum. Jim Carrey plays Joel Barish who has found out that his girlfriend Clem (Kate Winslet) has gotten her memory erased of him and their entire relationship. In a fit of distress he get the same thing and begins to live his relationship backwards, starting with the moment and reason for his break-up and ending with meeting her...all before losing complete memory her. I think this works really well because it reflects what most people are like when it comes to heartbreak. They rush out and get rid of everything that reminds them of the person and hate them completely because they can only remember the ending of the relationship, they don't see the full relationship. There are some problems with the film like the side story involving the people doing the memory wipe but not enough to ruin the film. I love this movie it deserves a spot as one of my favourite films of all time.
Now we're getting into the good stuff, the films that have really had an impact on me and changed my outlook on the idea of film. The strange thing in saying that is that number six is actually a really recent film. The best film of last year it's David Fincher's The Social Network. People often say that talking is boring and it can ruin a film. That's true for an action film (unless your name is Quentin Tarantino) but for something like The Social Network the dialogue that makes the film. Based on the wonderful novel The Accidental Billionaires, The Social Network essentially tells the story of the creation of Facebook but that doesn't mean you have to be on or like Facebook to enjoy the film. On paper it sounds boring and in the hands of someone else it very well could have been but Aaron Sorkin finds a way to make the film a tragedy. The tragedy of the film is that for a website about connecting people together it cost a friendship and the film shows that extremely well. The highlight of the film for me is Andrew Garfield, who I believe is the heart of the film. He plays his character with such distinction and compassion that it's impossible not to feel for him later on in the film. That being said, Jessie Eisenberg is wonder at portraying the film version of Mark Zuckerberg. I say film version because this is not the real Mark obviously, it's a dramatisation of the character to help tell a better story. Everything about this film is very well done to the point of near perfection. I remember coming home from seeing it and not being able to write a review for it because I was so taken back by it. I loved it all. Even now after more viewings than I personally care to admit it still feels fresh and original, something that I can't say for most films.
Moving along and into the top five with American Beauty. I've never really understood why I love this movie so much, because I can't re-watch it over and over again. It's not one that can be played continuously and have that same impact every time. This is a subtle movie, on that requires complete attention to what his happening on the screen and what is going through the minds of these characters. The character of Lester Burnham is brought to life wonderfully by Kevin Spacey and he really is the heart of the film. In the wrong hands Lester could be see as extremely unlikeable (I mean his goal in the film is to have sex with his daughter's bestfriend) but because Spacey plays with with such empathy the audience see everyside of him and understand all aspects of his life. The films central theme of beauty and it is within everything is one that hits home while watching it and stays with you long after the end credits. The emotional scene when Ricky opens up to Jane about the most beautiful thing he's ever films is incredibly moving and extremely well acted. There is so much more I can say about this film and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good storytelling with wonderful acting.
When asked what I think is the greatest film ever made my answer is often The Shawshank Redemption. Now to anyone whose seen the movie, its easy to understand why but to those who haven't it's a film that really requires you to sit down and actually watch. This isn't my favourite film of all time but it is the greatest one I have ever seen. While watching it you are completely engrossed in the film and whenever I see it on TV or something I'm hooked and can't take my eyes off the screen. I love this movie beyond all belief because everyone in the film brings their A game and tells the story nearly perfectly. Scratch that, it is perfect. For me this is the perfect film because its accessable to everyone, there isnt a soul in the world who would not enjoy this movie (ok maybe one or two who only want sex and action). The greatest film I've ever seen and it would have been the reason I'm so passionate about movies...if I hadn't seen another film before it which is to come....
Ok now we're getting into the top three and these three films don't really represent great films in the original sense but are more personal films that I hold dear to my heart. At one point in my life all three of these have been number one, and they all have the ablility to swap around but I've had this order for awhile and for me it works. So what happens when a pumpkin grows tired of Halloween and instead tries to takeover Christmas? We get an insight into one of the greatest things to ever come out of the mind of Tim Burton with The Nightmare Before Christmas. Surprisingly I actually discovered this film late in my life, I never heard or watched it as a kid and by the time I did hear about it I was in that stage where you simply don't care about kids movies anymore. I remember my friend egging me on to watch it and when she told me that it was an animated-musical my feelings didn't change at all. It even sat on my desk for nearly three months before I actually watched it by god was I an idiot. How could I possibly have doubted this film? From the opening monolouge to the closing frame of Jack and Sally I was completely hooked to the film. I loved this film so much I wouldn't give it back to my friend until I had my own copy, which I did about a week later. Today the film still holds up and the success of the film is the musical aspect. The first three songs are that good you become completely hooked while watching that you don't want to turn it off. I cannot give enough credit to this film, it's the reason I become so in love with animated films again and I will always love this film from the bottom of my heart.
Second is probably the film that is going to annoy a lot of people who are reading this because it's not very liked among people. Despite having a 88% approval rating on RottenTomatoes and being nominated for two Golden Globes, people generally have a great displeasure for this film. There is even a ten page recap that I read about it once that is dedicating to bashing it. I am of course talking about Mark Webb's directional debut (500) Days of Summer. I remember seeing this film at the theatres with one of my friends and just completely loving it because of how much I could relate to the film. I had been Tom and I had had I reckon 70% of the conversations that are in the film with my friends. Tom is perhaps the most relatable character in recent film history because generally everyone has been in one of those relationships. The one where you are completely in love with the other person who only sees you as a friend. When watching the film you completely understand where Tom is coming from, his motivations and his reasonings because you've had those reasonings before. I love a scene late in the film where Tom is on a blind date and he's talking about Summer and the girl asks "well did she break your heart or did you?" and you relate because you ask yourself the same questions. I will admit that there are faults with the film but they come simply out of people who can't relate to Tom. If you can't relate to Tom, you will not enjoy this film because its his story. I think this is an amazing and wonderful film that while not for everyone is certainly a film for people who've ever had their heart broken.
And here we are, my number one film. It's been quite a journey and I'll admit that this film will never change as my number one film because its the film that changed me. It's the one that showed me that film can be taken seriously and can tell thought provoking stories with actual acting. At the time I saw this film, my favourite film of all time was the last one I saw at the theatres. Yes I was one of those people at some stage in my life and the film that changed it, the one that got me into watching film and falling in love with was of course Good Will Hunting. When I watched this for the first time it was about 11PM at night on a Friday night and being my usual bored fourteen year old self I was flicking through the channels trying to find something. Then I saw it, a Robin Williams and Matt Damon movie. Now at fourteen I knew Robin Williams was hilarious and Matt Damon was in great action films. I honestly thought this would be some action-comedy. I'll admit the first time I watched it I didn't really care for it. I went to bed at 1AM thinking about how boring that movie was but slowly it came to the forefront of my mind. I would be in Bockbuster and walk past it and smile every time. The shitty action films that I used to love so much were now not as good. The comedies that I loved weren't funny at all anymore because I could see through them. It was weird. I watched Good Will and ever since I've just loved it. To this day I've never been able to explain what it is about this film that is so good, what about it makes me happy and why it changed my worldview on film. I mean it's not like Citizen Kane or The Godfather, films that changed movies and honestly it's not that great of a film but for some reason whenever I watch it I just walk away happy. I want to do better and try better. I'll never explain the absolute and deadset reason as to why I love this film so much and that could be one of the reasons why I love it so much; I can't explain why.
So that's my movie life in a nut shell. What movies I love and what movies I hate. I warned you this would be a long post but now you know a little more about the reasonings behind why I am the movie nut I am. I'm the Mad Movie Man and I'll see you at the theatre
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